LeBron James Net Worth 2022: Is He Richer Than Michael Jordan?
LeBron James made history in and outside the NBA after reaching the billionaire mark.
Forbes formally announced that James finally did something no other NBA player has ever done - even Michael Jordan.
In its calculation, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar generated more than $1.2 billion in pretax earnings after earning a whopping amount from his businesses. James earned it while enjoying the $383 million NBA salary he earned from three different teams in the past 19 years of his career.
LeBron James' net worth in 2022 soared even higher as he gained $900 million from his endorsements and other business ventures.
With that, Forbes estimated that his net worth is now $1 billion, making him the first active NBA player to achieve the feat.
James waited for nearly eight years before becoming a billionaire.
In 2014, he told GQ that reaching the mark would be his biggest milestone.
"It's my biggest milestone. Obviously I want to maximize my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh, my God, I'm gonna be excited," he said.
He followed Michael Jordan on the list, who was once the only basketball player billionaire on Forbes' list. However, Jordan did not achieve what James did when he was still an active player. Rather, he got the 10-digit mark in 2014, more than 10 years after his retirement.
Is LeBron James Richer Than Michael Jordan?
After the debate on who truly the GOAT is, James and Jordan now enter the battle to determine who is richer than the other.
According to Forbes, although James made history with his recent achievement, the NBA superstar needs hundreds of millions to surpass Michael Jordan's net worth.
The magazine estimates that the NBA'S greatest all-time player has $1.7 billion. He managed to become the first basketball player billionaire and the richest former professional athlete in the world.
He became part of the $305 million investment in Dapper Labs. It serves as the startup of NBA Top Shot, a virtual trading-card platform, joining other investors like Will Smith and 2 Chainz.
Jordan does not enjoy his fortunes alone, as he frequently uses them for philanthropic purposes. He famously donated $2 million of his earnings from his docuseries "The Last Dance" to Feeding America's food banks in Chicago and the Carolinas.
"In these challenging times and in a year of unimaginable difficulty due to Covid-19, it's more important than ever to pause and give thanks," Jordan said, per NBC News.
He also has equity stakes in several companies, pushing his net worth to the top which James is yet to reach.
